Tatt watch: A semi-regular column making a study of crappy body art

John Cuthbert's award-winning tattoo, a homage to his favourite detective (Deadline News)

Another week, another sin of the flesh. It seems extraordinary that once the wildest tattoo we’d seen was a Celtic band around a flabby male upper-arm. Now it’s all multiple Miley Cyruses here and misshapen chest-wide creatures there. Someone’s got to keep watch.

Expressing one’s love for a fictional Glaswegian detective via the medium of skin came naturally to 34-year-old John Cuthbert. Alas, “Taggart” actor Mark McManus is no longer around, so his reaction cannot be recorded. He might have said “There’s been a murrrrrderously bad tattoo,” but he might have been pleased that the gap below the city’s crane-filled skyline is to be filled by an image of James MacPherson, his one-time sidekick.

But what’s this? The artwork has won the award for the best Scottish-themed tattoo, so I guess the joke’s on us...